Liverpool (a) pre-match thread

[Gabriel]

Zinchenko as LB today, very comfortable on the ball and rarely loses possession at the back (where Liverpool hoover up mistakes).

Would be genuinely surprised were he to start. Far too slow to counter Salah's threat, and prone to little defensive lapses in concentration that could see him caught out of position. He has not been trusted in (m)any of our crucial away fixtures, so it would be a tad risky to think about doing so now.

 

[mat]

No vinny is not great on the ball under pressure,i'd go john and eric,then again you have to think of their defenders up for corners and vinny and nico defend those better,i don't know who pep will go for

I'd go for John and Eric too.

They are our long term pairing.

 

[stonerblue]

When Otamendi street fights it usually results in him flying into challenges and being left on his backside. My choice would be the skipper today.

He was all over the place midweek and definintelt trying too hard. Needs to calm down a bit.

 

[york away to this!]

I've had to pour a g&t to calm the nerves, so wish I was going to this...

 

[Pigeonho]

IF Carlsberg did Sundays

When my friend. When.

 

[Dax777]

------------------Ederson------------------
Walker----Stones----Laporte----Mendy
---------------Fernandinho---------------
--------Bernardo---------D.Silva---------
Sterling---------Aguero-------------Sane

Bench: Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Jesus

Rather than switching to 3 at the back, i think our best chance to defend in this game is simply to pass our way out and through the Liverpool press as much as we can. Stones and Laporte give us the best chance of doing that. Similarly in midfield, i'd start with Bernardo and Silva with the expectation that they can just keep the ball. With our record at Anfield, i'd be delighted with a draw today so we really don't need to take any risks going forward. Just keep the ball moving and don't be too eager to give up possession trying the killer pass when it's not really on.

It gets said every time we go to Anfield but just don't give them encouragement. We know Liverpool will run themselves into the ground from the start. We know the Anfield crowd will get behind them. Keep the ball, make them run, frustrate the crowd and take the sting out of the occasion. If we can manage to reach half-time on level terms, i'd fancy us to get the win. Gaps will appear in midfield later in the game and that's the time to throw De Bruyne and Mahrez on.

At the end of the day, if we lose again, we're only 3 points off the top and we've got our toughest game of the season out of the way. But this is a chance to end some hoodoos. Win at Anfield, goal for Aguero, Sterling plays well, De Bruyne is back and we go clear at the top of the league. I've actually got a good feeling about this one.

You've diagnosed the problem (they will press) and possible solution (we should try to pass out of it) correctly. Yet you leave our best passing defender (Zichenko) off the squad entirely.

I find that strange.

 

[Gabriel]

Heresy, I know, but I'd have Aguero on the bench for this one and play no recognised forward, with Bernardo/Silva/Sterling rotating, instead. I think we played some of our smartest domestic football last season in the first half against that lot at the Etihad. Alas, on the day we failed to take our chances and ultimately paid dearly, but I think that system would give us the numbers in midfield and cause concentration problems for Liverpool's defenders.

 

[ali benarbia's studs]

what time will team selection be announced?

 

[franksinatra]

He was all over the place midweek and definintelt trying too hard. Needs to calm down a bit.

He goes through patches like this. The rest of his game is spot on, just the rush of blood to his head. He either dives in and gets left on his arse or gets hopelessly dragged out of position.

 

[ADegenerate]

I don't mind this lineup. But I'd rather Sterling over Jesus. And based on the way Pep has talked about it, I think Sterling will definitely start.

I’m just as fine with that. Think it’s a meta edge (if it is at all).